Using AI as a tool, not a replacement for your doctor

Key takeaways:

• AI can help you learn about kidney disease, understand medical terms and prepare for healthcare appointments. However, AI should not replace medical advice from your healthcare team
• AI is not always accurate
• Protect your privacy when using AI tools
• Never rely on AI for emergencies, diagnosis or treatment decisions

Artificial intelligence (AI) tools are used in everyday life including healthcare. Tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot can be great for helping you learn more about kidney disease. They can also help you organize your thoughts and prepare for appointments. 

However, it's important to remember that AI is not a doctor and should never replace medical advice from your healthcare team. When used correctly, AI can be a useful resource and can help you feel more informed. 

How can AI help? 

AI works best as a learning and planning tool rather than your definitive source for answers or decisions about your health. It can explain medical terms, help you prepare questions for doctor visits and organize information in a clearer way. 

Here are some examples of questions you can ask AI for your kidney health: 

• "Can you explain this kidney disease term in simple language?"
• "What is the difference between these lab values?" 
• "Can you give me general information about kidney-friendly eating that I can discuss with my dietitian?" 
• "What questions should I ask before joining a clinical trial?"
• Can you point me to patient-friendly information from a trusted kidney organization or medical society?

Keep in mind that the more specific your question is, the more useful the response will be. 

For example, instead of asking: "Do I need dialysis?" 

Try asking: "What are some signs that kidney disease may be getting worse?" or "What questions should I ask my kidney doctor about preparing for dialysis?" 

Questions like these can help you prepare for conversations with your care team rather than relying on AI to make decisions for you.

A helpful prompt includes:

1. What you are trying to understand
2. The level of explanation you want (for example, "in simple language")
3. What you want to do with the information (for example, "help me prepare questions for my nephrologist")

Is AI always right?

No. AI can make mistakes. Sometimes AI provides information that sounds convincing but is outdated or completely made up with seemingly appropriate references. This is called a hallucination. AI is programmed to be helpful and keep a conversation going, even if it ends up providing inaccurate information. 

AI tools can:

• Make up facts, studies or sources
• Provide outdated medical information
• Confuse similar conditions, tests or medicines
• Leave out important safety information
• Give answers that do not reflect your health history

Tips for using AI safely

As with any information online, it is important to take steps to use the tool safely. 

• Protect your privacy: Never share personal information like your full name or address. Do not share your Social Security number, insurance details or medical record number. If you want help understanding one of your lab results, you can share the number itself rather than uploading documents that contain personal information. Your lab results are also personal information.
• Double-check information: AI collects information from many sources. Some of the information may be outdated, incomplete or incorrect. Before using health information provided by AI, check it using trusted sources.  You can also discuss questions with your healthcare team.
  • To verify information:
    • Review patient education materials from trusted health systems and medical organizations.
    • Consult patient advocacy organizations and disease-specific foundations.
    • Compare information across multiple credible sources.

Do not use AI in an emergency. AI should not be used for sudden or serious symptoms, diagnosis or treatment decisions. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing, severe swelling, confusion, fainting or symptoms that feel sudden or serious, call 911 or get emergency help right away.

Prompts to try

If you are new to AI, here are a few examples of prompts you can customize:

• I just received my lab results. My eGFR is [insert number] and my uACR is [insert number]. Explain what these numbers mean about my kidney health in simple terms and suggest questions I can ask my doctor.
• My uACR result is [insert number]. Explain what this result may mean, why albumin in the urine matters for kidney health and what questions I should ask my doctor.
• My urine test showed blood in my urine. Explain some possible reasons this can happen, how it may relate to kidney health and what questions I should ask my doctor.
• My eGFR changed from [insert previous number] to [insert current number]. Explain what can cause eGFR to change and help me prepare questions to ask my doctor about whether this change is significant.
• My doctor told me I have proteinuria, or protein in my urine. Explain what this may means in simple terms, what can cause it and what questions I should ask my doctor.
• My doctor mentioned I have [insert condition or term]. Can you explain what this is, why it matters for my kidneys and provide three questions I can ask at my next appointment?
• I have a 15-minute appointment with my kidney doctor. Help me create a short list of talking points and questions based on these concerns: [insert concerns].
• What new medicines for kidney disease have become available in recent years? Explain them in simple language and suggest questions I can ask my doctor about them.
• I would like meal ideas that fit a kidney-friendly eating plan. Help me create a list of meals I can discuss with my doctor or kidney dietitian.
• I have been experiencing swelling in my [insert area, such as feet or ankles]. Explain how swelling can sometimes be related to kidney disease and help me create a list of symptoms and questions to discuss with my doctor.

The bottom line

AI can be a helpful tool when you are living with kidney disease. But AI cannot replace your kidney care team. Use AI as a partner in learning, while relying on your doctors for medical advice and treatment decisions. The more informed you are, the better prepared you can be to take an active role in your kidney health.